Time controlled annunciator



Oct. 28, 1941. A R 2,260,655

TIME "CONTROLLED ANNUNCIATOR Filed Oct. 2, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR ATTORNEYS 0a. 28, 1941. F, A, BARR 2,260,655

TIME CONTROLLED ANNUNCIATOR Filed Oct. 2, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORATTORNEYS Oct. 28, 1941. F. A. BARR 2,260,655

TIME CONTROLLED ANNUNCIATOR Filed Oct. 2, 1939 I5 Sheets-Sheet 3 iIIIIIIINQ Z0 fiazzazisiA flaw/ 82 g BY '81 ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 28,19 41 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,260,655 mun com'aonuin ANNUNCIATORFrancis A. Barr, Bayonne, N.-J. Application October 2, 1939, Serial No.297,583 '2 Claims. (01.58-14) This invention relates to impro'vementsinanthe scope of the invention except as same is exnunciators andespecially is concerned -with a pr s ed in h jolne l im time controlledannunciator for periodically Referring then to the drawings, makingaudible announcements. Figure 1 is essentially a top plan view of the Itis an object of this invention to provide a preferred embodiment of theinstantinvention novel and audible annunciator controlled in a new andsuperior. manner by a clock or the like whereby, at preselectedintervals, an announcement is made.

Another object of this invention is to provide an annunciator'comprising a sound reproduction device for a cloclE-fo'r controllingsame, the clock and device being interconnected whereby. the formeroperates to initiate and to stop operation of the latter at preselectedtime intervals.

Another object of this invention is to provide an annunciator of thetypehereinabove mentioned which, in operation, serves to facilitate themaking of a plurality of different-announcements at spaced timeintervals independently of manual operation.

Another object of this invention is to provide an annunciator of thetype comprising a moving sound record and a clock controlled sensingdevice for reading said record together with means for operating saidsensing device to read a preselected announcement from said recordcorresponding to a preselected relative or absolute time value. f

A feature-of the novel annunciator according to this invention is thatit can be operated continuously for use in announcing time intervals orin the making of other'announcements in a I predetermined sequence. Thisfeature follows as a result of the provision in the device of novelmeans for restoring elements of the device to an initial position ofoperation. 7

An advantage of the annunciator according to the present invention isits comparativesimplicity'both from the standpoint of structure and ofoperation whereby both the initial cost and the likelihood of need ofrepair is minimized.

Other objects, advantages'and features of the new and improved timecontrolled annunciator according to the present invention will beapparent to those skilled in this art during the course of the followingdescription.

In'orclerto facilitate a fuller and more complete understanding of thematter of this invention, a specific embodiment thereof now preferredhereinafter will be described, it being clearly understood ofcourse.that this embodiment ofthe present invention is provided solelyby way of example and is non-limitative upon .30 designated by thenumeral M.

with parts of the casing removed to expose interior structure,

Fig. 2 is essentially a vertical sectional view of 1 taken along theline 2-2, I

Fig. 3 is substantially a vertical sectional view of Fig. '1 taken alongthe line 3-4,

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of Fig. 3 taken along theline 4-4,

Fig. 5 is substantially a vertical sectional view of Fig. 4 taken alongthe line 5-5, n

Fig. 6 is essentially a fragmentary or detailed sectional view of Fig. 5taken along the linei-B thereof, and I Fig. '7 is essentiallya-schematic electrical cirzocuit diagram indicating electricalconnections between elements of the device.

It will be apparent in .considering the drawings that the novelannunciator designated by the numeral l0 according to the presentinvention comprises mounted within a casing 'II a clock mechanismgenerally designated by the num'eral l2 having an exposed dial generallyindicated by thenumeral l3 and, associated therewith, a soundreproduction device generally The sound reproduction device comprises aconstant speed motor 20 for rotating a, turntable 2| mounted on thespindle 22 of the motor. The turntable is adapted to accommodate-thesound record 23 which, in the illustrated embodiment, I

' is a relatively flat disc similar to the conventional phonographrecord having sound grooves or tracks formed on the surface thereof; Thesenslng'm'echanism "provided with a needle 25a for reading the groovesor tracks on the sound record 23 is vertically slidingly carried onthesolehoid core 26, being attached thereto by the coupling 21substantially as shown. It will be noted that the solenoid core isnormally spring-pressed up-,

wardly by the helical spring 28 whereby the coupling head 21a is.pressed against bottom portions ofthe sleeve 29 forming part of thesolenoid mounting as hereinafter more fully will appear. It will benoted especially. upon reference to Fig. 1,, that the connector member21 is substantially square in cross-sectional outline and,

accordingly, that rotative motion of the connector with respect to thesleeve 29 is substantially precluded. The solenoid core 26 normally isposition'ed incoaxial relation to but not within the solenoid 30.Accordingly, when current passes .riage head 35 is pressed by a spring38 toward the supporting frame element 48 in which ends of the rods 36and 31 are mounted. While the rod 37- preferably is nonrotatablymounted, although, if preferred, it may be rotatably mounted, the rod 36is freely rotatingly mounted in the frame standards 40 and 4| and isdriven at a constant rate of rotation by the clock driven shaft 42connected to the rod by the beveled gears 43 and 44.

The cylinder 45 essentially fixedly mounted on the rod 36 and rotatabletherewith is freely rotatably received within the opening 41 of thecarriage head 35 in a manner such that the carriage can freely slidealong the cylinder while the latter is being rotated. A continuous camslot comprising the leading groove 48 and a return groove 49 is formedin the cylinder 45 and a cam rider 46 is'mounted in parts of thecarriage head 35 for engagement with tle cam slot. It will be evidentthat as the cylinder 45 rotates, the cam rider 46 will ride in the leadgroove 48, thereby causing the carriage 35 to move oppositely to thedirection of action of the spring 38 until such time as the cam riderenters the return groove 49, whereupon the carriage head will bereturned to starting position by action of the spring 38. It is to benoted that, as the carriage head 35 moves, the sound amplifying arm 25bconnected with the pickup head 25 hereinabove described likewise ismoved laterally. It is to be noted that the motion of the cam rider 46within the cam grooves causes the pickup head 25 to traverse the record23 and, at such times as current passes through the solenoid 30, to ridethe grooves or tracks of the sound record and read same.

The hereinabove mentioned clock mechanism and the electrical controlswitches associated therewith generally designated by the numeral l2will now be described, reference ,being made especially to Figs. 1, 3,4, 5 and 6 wherein features of the switch mechanism best areillustrated. Initially it should be noted that the clock mechanism 50mounted on the frame 5| is provided with a gear 52 carried on the hourshaft thereof which, engaging with the teeth of the gear 53 mounted onthe shaft 42, causes uniform constant motion of the cam hereinabovedescribed. The shaft 55 carrying the minute hand of the clock isextended backwardly from the clock mechanism and carries fixedly mountedthereon and electrically insulated therefrom an intrinsically resilientswitch arm 51, one end of which rides on a continuous annulus 58 ofelectrically conductive material mounted upon-an electrically insulativedisc 59 supported on standards 60 attached to the rear of the clockcasing. The preferred and illustrated mode of mounting the arm 5'! uponthe shaft 55, comprises a bushing 65 formed of electrically insulatedmaterial attached to the arm by rivets 66 and held upon the shaft 55 bya nut 61 essentially as shown. The opposite end of the arm 51 rides upona plurality of groups of contact elements, one of which is generallydesignated by the numeral 69.

Reference is now made especially to Fig. 6 wherein details of a typicalone of the groups of contact elements best are illustrated. It will benoted that the group generally designated by the numeral 69 comprises apost 10 formed of electrically conductive material mounted in parts ofthe electrically insulative disc 59 and interconnected by the annulus68, as hereinafter more fully will appear, slotted along its axis toreceive a sheath 1| of insulative material within which is positionedthe contact member 12. It is especially to be noted that, as the end ofthe arms 51 passes over the beveled top of the post 10, electricalcontact is established between the arm and the post and also between thearm and the centrally located contact element 12. It is further to benoted that the width of the end of the arm 51 is such with relation tothe beveled end of the post 10 that, as the arm traverses the post end,electrical contact is established between the arm and the post before,during and after the contact is established between the arm and thecontact element 12. connected each with the other by the annulus 68above mentioned upon which the end of the arm 51 rides. It of coursewill be understood that the post ends are beveled to facilitate freetravel of the arm end thereover. The centrally located contact elements12 are formed integral with and interconnected by the annulus 11, itbeing noted that the contact elements are formed by a right angle bandand radially inwardly extending arms formed on said annulus. It isfurther to be noted that the groups of contact elements are arcuatelyspaced and that each is traversed by the end of the arm 51 successivelyand at predetermined time intervals between the elements depending uponthe spacing of the elements.

The manner in which the above described sound reproduction device andclock control mechanism are concatenated for the operation of the formerby the latter will now be described, reference being made especially toFig. '7 wherein it will be noted that the clock motor 50 normally isconnected across the power lines and 8| but that a switch 82 isinterposed in the line 80 to permit interconnection of other parts ofthe device from the power lines. A relay 83 controls connection of thephonograph motor 20 to the lines 890 and 8| whereby, when the switch 82is closed, the line 80a possesses equal potential with respect to theline 8| as is possessed by the line 80 with respect thereto. The relay83 operates from the output lines 84 of the transformer 85 and currentis supplied to the relay through the annulus 58, arm 51 and contactelements forming part of the posts 16 or, in other words, the relayfunctions whenever the end of the arm 57 makes contact with one of thebeveled end portions of a post 10. Hence it will be apparent that therelay is closed and the phonograph motor 20 operates at all times whenthe end of the arm 51 is in electrical contact with any one of thegroups of contact elements, one of which is designated by the numeral69.

As has been hereinabove observed, contact is established between the endof the arm 5! and parts of the posts, one of which is designated by thenumeral 10, before, during and after the establishment of electricalcontact between the arm end and the centrally located contact elements,

The posts are electrically one of which is designated by the numeral 12pIt will be noted by referring to the circuit diagram of Fig. 7 that whenthe arm end contacts the centrally located contact element, connection'is established between the output lines 84 of the transformer 85 andthe solenoid 30, thereby causing the core 26 thereof to be drawn withinthe solenoid against the action of the spring 28.

Having thus described the structural features of the novel timecontrolled annunciator according to the present invention, its mode ofoperation next will be described. As was above noted, the clock motor 50operates continuously, being connected to the power lines 80 and 8l.-Closing of the switch 82 supplies power to the transformer 85 and also,upon closing of the relay 83, supplies power to the phonograph motor 20.Inasmuch as the arm 51 is driven byv the minute shaft of the clock 50,eventually the end of the/arm will engage and make electrical contactwith one of the beveled ends of a post 10, thereby causing operation ofthe relay 83 and starting of the phonograph motor 20. As the end of thearm 51 passes over the post end, electrical contact is establishedbetween the arm and the centrally located contact element 12 wherebycurrent passes from the transformer 85 to the solenoid 30 drawing thecore thereof downwardly and causing the stylus or needle 25a to sensesound tracks or grooves in the record 23. The solenoid core is heldwithin the solenoid until such time as the end of the contact arm passesfrom a centrally located contact 12, at which time action of the spring28 causes the solenoid core to move upwardly, thereby raising the pickuphead from the record. The phonograph motor "functions until such time asthe end of the arm 51 ceases to make contact with parts of the post 10.

It will be evident from the foregoing that time spaced announcements canbe made by means of this annunciator and that a series of differentannouncements can be made inasmuch as the pickup head 25 is moved acrossthe sound record by time controlled mechanism with the result that thesound track beneath the pickup head is different fromthe sound trackbeneath the pickup head at other times.

Having thus described the present invention,

what it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a time controlled annunciator of the type including a rotatablesupport for a sound producing record, a carriage mounted on a horizontalbar extending across the record, a spring surrounding the bar fornormally holding the carriage adjacent the edge of the record, a sensingdevice carried by the carriage for reading said record, a solenoid forraising and lowering said sensing device off and on the record, a motorfor driving said record, a clock, a switch operated by the clock forcontrolling the solenoid and the motor', a sleeve passing through thecarriage and continuously-rotated by the clock, a spiral groove in thesleeve and a straight return groove connecting the ends of the spiralgroove, a projection carried by the carriage and travelling in saidgrooves, whereby the carriage is moved across the record by itsengagement with the spiral groove and rapidly returns to its normalposition under tension of the spring when the projection enters thestraight groove.

2. In a time controlled annunciator of the type including a rotatablesupport for a sound producing record, a carriage mounted on a horizontalbar extending across the record, a spring surroundingthe bar andengaging the carriage for normally holding the same adjacent the edge ofthe record, a sensing device carried by the carriage for reading therecord, a solenoid for-raising and lowering the sensing device off andon the record, a'motor for driving the record support, a clockmechanism, a switch operated by the clock mechanism for simultaneouslystarting the motor and energizing the solenoid, a rotatable sleevepassing through the carriage and supporting one end thereof, meansoperated by the clock mechanism for continuously rotating the sleeve,said sleeve having a spiral groove and a straight return grooveconnecting the ends ofthe spiral groove, a projection carried by thecarriage and travelling in said grooves, whereby the carriage isgradually moved across the, record against the spring by the spiralgroove and is rapidly returned by the spring when the projection entersthe straight return groove.

-FRANCIS A. BARR.

